MOTORISTS are set to face travel hell next weekend as 23 million Britons take to the roads to get home for the festive season.

Next Saturday is set to be the busiest day as more than half of the country's 34.3 million motorists take to Britain's roads in a bid to take advantage of the five-day break.

Major jams are also expected on Friday with one in five Britons ignoring the Mayan end of the world prediction and instead taking to their cars in an effort to dodge the traffic, according to research by esure.com

Spokesman Mike Pritchard said: "Christmas is always a busy time on our roads but these figures show that Saturday could be a day of real chaos as Brits take full advantage of the weekend falling just before Christmas Eve and 23 million take to the road."

Meanwhile the weather is expected to make driving conditions hazardous as forecasters predict heavy snow and ice.

The freezing fog which has blanketed much of the country this week is expected to continue, causing poor visability on roads, railways and at airports.

The RAC warned that motorists should be prepared for hostile driving conditions and added that the chances of a breakdown or engine fault are increased by more than 54 per cent when temperatures drop below zero.

A spokesman for the RAC said: "We all know that even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry, and sometimes even the most diligent drivers can be caught out by an unexpected breakdown. So it’s best to be prepared for every eventuality by ensuring that your car is equipped".

According to Trafficmaster, traffic is likely to be very heavy on Britain’s major motorways including the M1, M4 and M25.

Hotspots also include the M6 at Stoke-on-Trent, the M62 in west Yorkshire and the A14 at Newmarket.

“Keep an eye on traffic and weather reports and allow extra time for your journey or travel outside the peak times to minimise delays.

“Whether you’re nipping across town or driving the length of the country, it’s vital at this time of year to make sure you and your car are well prepared, so do the basic checks on your car and pack the winter essentials including, as a minimum, lots of warm clothing, food, water, de-icer, ice scraper and a fully-charged mobile in case you run into difficulty.”

The research by esure found 81 per cent of drivers plan to use their cars at some point over the festive break.

Around half are concerned about the weather conditions as forecasters warn of heavy rain and strong winds.

Christmas is always a busy time on our roads

Mike Pritchard, at esure

More than 40 per cent said they are concerned about delays and tailbacks although they are still prepared to use their cars over the Christmas period.

The study revealed almost half of Britons will take to the roads over the Christmas weekend to catch up on last-minute shopping.

A quarter will use their cars for family days out with five per cent making a dash to the airport to catch a flight.

According to the research, the average motorist will travel 160 miles next weekend - a total of 3.7 billion mile.

Just under 10 per cent will drive more than 400 miles with 21 per cent anticipating spending more than three hours in the car.